ArtistInfo

Mervyn Burtch

1929-2015
Composer of Classical

Mervyn Burtch MBE (7 November 1929 – 12 May 2015) was a Welsh composer, best known for his work with children's music projects.Burtch was born in Ystrad Mynach in 1929. Except for his two years of National Service in the RAF, he lived his entire life in the Rhymney Valley. He attended Lewis’ School in Pengam, and was inspired to become a composer when he watched his teacher, David Wynne, copying out parts, and decided that was the kind of work he would like to do[citation needed]. He studied at Cardiff University, and subsequently became Head of Music at Bargoed Grammar Technical School, and then Head of Music at Lewis Girls’ School in Ystrad Mynach. In 1979 he joined the staff of the then Welsh College of Music and Drama (WCMD) and was Head of the Performance course at the College until 1